Straight plc in gum deal

Leeds-based recycling and waste container supplier Straight plc has signed an exclusive distributor agreement to supply what it is calling the "world's first collection and recycling system for chewing gum".

The company is teaming up with Gummy Bins Ltd to offer the containers to local authorities, and says the chewing gum can be recycled into drainage systems for football pitches. Each Gummy Bin has a reusable cartridge system that holds up to 500 pieces of spent gum and enables the used gum to be recycled.

Jonathan Straight, chief executive of Straight plc said: "Chewing gum is a universal problem which local councils spend millions of pounds on every year. Now they have access to a proven solution which dramatically reduces cleaning costs and solves one of the worst litter problems of the last 50 years."

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ABP invests in Newport recycling "hub"

ABP has signed a 15-year deal with Sims to maintain a recycling "hub" at the port of Newport

Associated British Ports has stated its intention for the Port of Newport to become "one of the world's leading recycling hubs", following the construction of the new Sims Recycling Solutions WEEE recycling plant there.

ABP is investing £2.2 million into the new plant, which will be capable of processing about 100,000 tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment when complete (see letsrecycle.com story). Sims, which opened its metals recycling terminal at the port in 2004, has signed a 15-year agreement with ABP.

John Fitzgerald, ABP port director for the South Wales Ports, commented on the agreement: "I am very happy that Sims has decided to construct their WEEE plant at our Port of Newport. ABP has worked closely with Sims over the past four years to develop their metal-recycling operation at the port, and Sims’s decision to enlarge their facilities at Newport demonstrates the success of this relationship."

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Wiltshire inspects household waste

Wiltshire's household waste  (June - December 2005)
Garden/kitchen waste	44.8%
Paper & card	20%
Dense plastic	7.75%
Misc. combustible	5.5%
Plastic film	4.95%
Glass	4.5%
Textiles	3.4%
Fines (eg grit and dust)	2.25%
Ferrous metals	2.05%
Misc. non-combustible	2%
WEEE (electrical)	1.15%
Hazardous	0.95%
Non-ferrous metal	0.8%

Almost half the rubbish thrown away in Wiltshire consists of garden or kitchen waste, according to a study carried out by consultants Entec.

The Defra-funded research also found a large proportion of cardboard and paper being thrown out despite the provision of recycling facilities and the county's 39% recycling rate. More analysis is to be carried out in the south and west of the county to check the calorific content of residual waste, with Wiltshire's residual waste due to go to the Colnbrook incinerator and the proposed Westbury MBT plant.

The council's waste services manager Andy Conn said: "With our early surveys we were delighted to see very little contamination was found in the recycling, so it was great to see people making the most of facilities on offer. We are anticipating these latest surveys will show a much higher percentage of sorting and recycling is going on - recycling has moved on a great deal in the last twelve months."

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Boost for recycled paper use

WRAP – the Waste and Resources Action Programme – has persuaded more organisations to switch to using recycled paper.

The Banbury-based recycling development organisation said Argos, Bournemouth University, the Drivers and Vehicles Licensing Agency, O2, South West Water and the University of the West of England now join more than 600 organisations that, combined, have committed to buy more than 70,000 tonnes of recycled paper each year.

Jonathan Tame, who now heads up WRAP’s recycled paper advocacy team, explained: "All of these organisations have made a commitment regarding their use of recycled paper. This will divert paper from landfill and should also offer encouragement to other organisations looking to make the switch."

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Brewers become 6,000th NISP member

Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd, the home of Sussex Best Bitter, is striving to become more resource efficient

Sussex-based brewer Harvey & Son (Lewes) Ltd has become the 6,000th member of the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme.

The Programme aims to help its members become more resource efficient by matching up their needs, and includes waste minimisation as one of its goals. Mike Jenner, managing director at Harvey & Son's, said: "At Harvey’s, striving to become more resource efficient has always been integral to how we run our business. We take a progressive approach and actively seek new opportunities to improve the way we operate."

Managing director of NISP, Peter Laybourn added: "NISP is a free business opportunity programme and any business of any size can join today and begin to take a fresh look at their resources. The momentum is really building for the programme - businesses are recognising that working with NISP can deliver clear and sustainable commercial benefits."